Preparing data for analysis requires a three-step process called extract, transform, load (ETL) Three-step process of gathering data from different systems, sanitizing and converting the data into a useable format, then loading it into a centralized target database.. Designing and maintaining ETL procedures is time consuming and resource intensive. Instead of writing custom programming code, organizations use ETL software for administration and operation of ETL processes. ETL software expedites and automates ETL procedures.

ETL software can be used in all three ETL phases. It can:

• Connect to and retrieve data from different sources, including those containing semi-structuredData with associated information (ie, metadata, tags) that makes it easier to transform than unstructured data, although it still requires more transformation than structured data (eg, emails). data, during the extract phase. Semi-structured data (eg, email) contains tags that makes it easier to process than unstructured data (Choice A).
• Provide data management capabilities such as calculating summary statistics (eg, means) and performing data quality checks (Choice B).
• Maintain a metadata repository. Metadata (ie, data about data) includes characteristics such as the data type (eg, integer, decimal) and the length of the data (ie, 50 characters). By maintaining a repository, ETL software centralizes the metadata for ongoing and future ETL initiatives (Choice C).

Enterprise resource planning (ERP)A packaged business software system that automates and integrates business processes (eg, sales, inventory management), shares common data and practices across the organization, and produces and accesses information in real time. software applications automate many of the core business processes (eg, inventory management) within an organization. Although ETL software can extract data from ERP systems, it cannot operate those systems.

Things to remember:
Retrieving, preparing, and loading data from multiple sources for data analysis involves a three-step process called extract, transform, load (ETL). The ETL process is time consuming and resource intensive, so organizations use ETL software to expedite and automate all three phases of the process.